Seems the Old Myth is Actually True

If you're like me, your high school football coach said "Son, I dont want you playin' with IT before game time". My coach always told me that masterbation lowered your testosterone levels. Then the concept seemingly subsided, everyone played it off, then it became a joke. "Hell, what do high school football coaches know? If they were any good, they would be coaching college or in the NFL" was my philosophy. Well for all you guys who have heard this, got some bad news for you......your coach was right:

World J Urol 2001 Nov;19(5):377-82

Endocrine response to masturbation-induced orgasm in healthy men following a 3-week sexual abstinence.

This current study examined the effect of a 3-week period of sexual abstinence on the neuroendocrine response to masturbation-induced orgasm. Hormonal and cardiovascular parameters were examined in ten healthy adult men during sexual arousal and masturbation-induced orgasm. Blood was drawn continuously and cardiovascular parameters were constantly monitored. This procedure was conducted for each participant twice, both before and after a 3-week period of sexual abstinence. Plasma was subsequently analysed for concentrations of adrenaline, noradrenaline, cortisol, prolactin, luteinizing hormone and testosterone concentrations. Orgasm increased blood pressure, heart rate, plasma catecholamines and prolactin. These effects were observed both before and after sexual abstinence. In contrast, although plasma testosterone was unaltered by orgasm, higher testosterone concentrations were observed following the period of abstinence. These data demonstrate that acute abstinence does not change the neuroendocrine response to orgasm but does produce elevated levels of testosterone in males.

Well this is the 2nd time I've seen this today and probally the 5th or so time in the past couple months.

While I believe the study is accurate I am not sure how relavant it is. What if this rise is onlye .2%. Also it was only 3 weeks, just by the change in the gonads deacrease in sensitivity to androgens could cause a short term raise. But with the feedback system the body will take care of it.

I am not buying this until I see a long term study with some numbers to show significance.

But the non the less I do think restraining might be mentally benefical. Espically if its your preworkout ritual. Thats just an opinion, nothing scientific or what not.

Sex before a game can actually improve an athlete's performance, say researchers.

A recent study conducted by Italian researcher Emmnuele Jannini, from the University of L'Aquila proves that the levels of the testosterone hormone rise after having sexual intercourse.

This study tears apart the previous belief that if players were deprived from sex before a match they would have a better performance on the field because testosterone is often related to aggressiveness.

Researchers from the University of L'Aquila measured the levels of testosterone in the blood of more than 80 patients that suffered from long-term impotence. The results were to show that the amount of that hormone was two thirds of those with sexual active lives. After several months of therapy - that did not include hormone treatments-, the researchers found that the men that were treated with a reasonable success had an increase of their testosterone level, while the ones that did not respond to the treatments continued to have low production of testosterone.

The increase in the sexual activity made the researchers believe that the raise in the level of that hormone is related to the amount of sexual activity one has. Jannini told the English scientific journal New Scientist that he believes that in men " the body adjusts testosterone levels to match sexual drive to the sexual activity. If he [athlete] needs to be more aggressive it's better to have sex", he concludes.

Although it was known that inadequate levels of testosterone may cause depressed mood, lack of motivation on men and decreased energy, it was never established a correlation between the amount of sexual activity and its direct impact on the testosterone levels. Doctor David Handelsman, who studies reproductive medicine in the University of Sidney, also told New Scientist that Jannini's research was the " first clear evidence in the vexed relationship between male sexuality and testosterone", and that the previous researches did not provided any evidence of the levels of this hormone before and after treatments were induced in patients.

It is still fresh in our memories the controversy surrounding the Portuguese football coach's decision to prevent his players to have any contact with their wives during the 1996 European football tournament. His argument was led by the belief that his team would have a good performance if they did have any sexual activity on the nights previous to the games. On the opposite side were the Scandinavian coaches, who encouraged their players to go on with their conjugal duties. The overall final scores proved that perhaps the Danish and Swedish were right, and now scientific proof makes it even clearer why they had better results. On the verge of the classification to the Euro-2000, surely the Portuguese coaches will take these facts into consideration for a far better result.
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Here is an abstract of the above mentioned study.
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We have recently documented significantly reduced serum testosterone (T) levels in patients with erectile dysfunction (ED). To understand the mechanism of this hypotestosteronemia, which was independent of the etiology of ED, and its reversibility only in patients in whom a variety of nonhormonal therapies restored sexual activity, we measured serum luteinizing hormone (LH) in the same cohort of ED patients (n=83; 70% organic, 30% nonorganic). Both immunoreactive LH (I-LH) and bioactive LH (B-LH) were measured at entry and 3 months after therapy. Based on outcome (ie number of successful attempts of intercourse per month), patients were categorized as full responders (namely, at least eight attempts; n=51), partial responders (at least one attempt; n=20) and non-responders (n=16). Compared to 30 healthy men with no ED, baseline B-LH (mean±s.d.) in the 83 patients was decreased (13.6±5.5 vs 31.7±6.9 IU/L, P<0.001), in the face of a slightly increased, but in the normal range, I-LH (5.3±1.8 vs 3.4±0.9 IU/L, P<0.001); consequently, the B/I LH ratio was decreased (3.6±3.9 vs 9.7±3.3, P<0.001). Similar to our previous observation for serum T, the three outcome groups did not differ significantly for any of these three parameters at baseline. However, outcome groups differed after therapy. Bioactivity of LH increased markedly in full responders (pre-therapy=13.7±5.3, post-therapy=22.6±5.4, P<0.001), modestly in partial responders (14.8±6.9 vs 17.2±7.0, P<0.05) but remained unchanged in non-responders (11.2±2.2 vs 12.2±5.1). The corresponding changes went in the opposite direction for I-LH (5.2±1.7 vs 2.6±5.4, P<0.001; 5.4±2.2 vs 4.0±1.7, P<0.05; 5.6±1.2 vs 5.0±1.2, respectively), and in the same direction as B-LH for the B/I ratio (3.7±4.1 vs 11.8±7.8, P<0.001; 4.2±4.3 vs 5.8±4.2, P<0.05; 2.1±0.7 vs 2.6±1.3, respectively). We hypothesize that the hypotestosteronemia of ED patients is due to impaired bioactivity of LH. This reduced bioactivity is reversible, provided that resumption of sexual activity is achieved regardless of the therapeutic modality. Because biopotency of pituitary hormones is controlled by the hypothalamus, LH hypoactivity should be due to the hypothalamic functional damage associated to the psychological disturbances which unavoidably follow sexual inactivity.

International Journal of Impotence Research (2002) 14, 93-99. DOI:10.1038/sj/ijir/3900832

Continued.....

The role of androgenic hormones in human sexuality, in the mechanism of erection and in the pathogenesis of impotence is under debate. While the use of testosterone is common in the clinical therapy of male erectile dysfunction, hypogonadism is a rare cause of impotence. We evaluated serum testosterone levels in men with erectile dysfunction resulting either from organic or non-organic causes before and after non-hormonal impotence therapy. Eighty-three consecutive cases of impotence (70% organic, 30% non-organic, vascular aetiology [etiology; the set of factors that contributes to the occurrence of a disease; red] being the most frequent) were subjected to hormonal screening before and after various psychological, medical (prostaglandin E1, yohimbine) or mechanical therapies (vascular surgery, penile prostheses, vacuum devices). Thirty age-matched healthy men served as a control group. Compared to controls, patients with impotence resulting from both organic and non-organic causes showed reduced serum levels of both total testosterone (11.1 +/- 2.4 vs. 17.7 +/- 5.5 nmol/L) and free testosterone (56.2 +/- 22.9 vs. 79.4 +/- 27.0 pmol/L) (both p < 0.001). Irrespective of the different aetiologies and of the various impotence therapies, a dramatic increase in serum total and free testosterone levels (15.6 +/- 4.2 nmol/L and 73.8 +/- 22.5 pmol/L, respectively) was observed in patients who achieved normal sexual activity 3 months after commencing therapy (p < 0.001). On the contrary, serum testosterone levels did not change in patients in whom therapies were ineffective. Since the pre-therapy low testosterone levels were independent of the aetiology of impotence, we hypothesize that this hormonal pattern is related to the loss of sexual activity, as demonstrated by its normalization with the resumption of coital activity after different therapies. The corollary is that sexual activity may feed itself throughout the increase in testosterone levels.

Well, the answer is a resounding yes and no. It all depends on the circumstances. I personally don't think that having sex is a problem unless of course it's overdone. In fact, because it releases tension, sex prior to training and competitive events can be beneficial. From my experience working with bodybuilders and other athletes I have not found that sexual intercourse and/or ejaculation does not adversely affect exercise performance, protein synthesis or serum testosterone levels. And I can tell you that abstinence is not a common practice among serious bodybuilders and other athletes.

On the other hand sexual stimulation with or without ejaculation, while apparently not affecting serum testosterone levels, may increase serum cortisol levels and thus result in a decrease in protein synthesis and a catabolic response. So if it's overdone, it can cause some catabolic effects.

From the three studies discussed below, you can see that sexual intercourse does not diminish exercise performance, and it does not seem to affect serum testosterone. Excessive sexual stimulation and ejaculation, however, may increase serum cortisol levels.

Understand that you have to keep in mind that the social, emotional, psychological, and physical aspects of sexual activity with or without ejaculation have quite an influence on cortisol secretions.Thus, while a study on cheetahs and stallions will show a high cortisol response there was no cortisol response in men that are aroused through the use of erotic stimuli.

One definitive study looked at the rationale for athletes in the USA being told not to have sexual intercourse prior to competing. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of sexual intercourse 12 hours prior to maximal treadmill exercise on aerobic power, oxygen pulse, and index of relative cardiac work. Eleven male subjects were tested on the treadmill with and without prior sexual intercourse. The results from the maximal exercise tests showed that aerobic power, oxygen pulse, and double product were not different. Therefore, the data suggests that it is justified to dismiss the point of view that sexual intercourse decreases maximal exercise performance.

Another study this year found that there were no changes in serum testosterone one and 24 hours after ejaculation. And yet another recent study found that even with intense sexual stimulation, serum testosterone was not affected but serum cortisol was dramatically increased. Sexual stress induced an increase of cortisol, which did not inhibit testosterone secretion, and high testosterone levels did neither influence the cortisol pattern. This lack of effect on testosterone with an increase in cortisol has also been found in previous studies.

In one study using stallions, the increase in cortisol was felt to be responsible for the suppression of the normal testosterone increase that occurs with time during breeding. Thus the authors of this study felt that the increase in cortisol impacted on serum levels of testosterone. So it seems that excessive sex can be counterproductive by increasing the catabolic hormone cortisol and possibly affecting a normal rise in testosterone - resulting in a decrease in the testosterone/cortisol ratio.

Bottom line. Sex is OK and won't affect your training or be counterproductive unless you overdo it. In moderation it might even help in some cases by relaxing you prior to competitive or other stressful events.

Ever since I was 17 I've been seriously wonderin about the ejaculation - testosterone relationship. I've read all the science, about the increase and decrease in levels prior and after. But in the end, let me offer what 4 years of experimenting has yielded. (Btw, I'm not kidding. I have tried to eliminate as many variables as possible on repeated occasions just so I can isolate the effect.

The Inspiration:

One day, years ago, on a boring afternoon, armed with a new internet connection and an empty house, I liberated myself 4-5 times. Later that evening, in the gym, each side of my body was stronger by roughly 10-15+ lbs. Combined bench went up by over 30 lbs. I had no initially made the connection, until I realized later I could no longer perform close to the same weight. That was an isolated time.

WRONG. In fact, upon each trial, I was *decisively* more fatigued in lifting post-"playin with it". (By fatigued I mean low lifting intensity, endurance, as well as decreased overall explosive power.)

New Experiment:

If I make absinence the norm, (no ejaculation same day or prior to lifting), and ejaculation the weaker end, then sexual stimulation WITHOUT ejaculation must be a new scenario that needs testing.

Result:

JACKPOT!!!! I guarantee this to anyone right now. Million dollar challenge. If any of you spend half an hour watching very good porn, or engaging in foreplay with your woman (better result than any self-stimulation), your gym results for that day will be phenomenal!!! Whatever you expected to do that day, given the diet and sleep, will increase like you just took a super PH supplement. I kid you know. I warn you, this takes discipline. If you accidently decide to cum, you'll make yourself so tired and weak you'll ruin the gym session.

Conclusion:

The amount of testosterone and other chemicals (adrenaline, etc.) stimulated through sexual arousal are unrivaled for an immediate strength boost. The more aroused you are, for longer the duration, is directly proportional to the curve of increased performance. In math terms, you can express the benefits of strength from the increased testosterone as a function of horniness. (not the general frustrated kind, but maaaajor blue-ball.) If you all think I'm wack and have too much time on my hands (no pun intended x 2), try it for yourselves. If I have the time, this ritual is almost religious. Try it the day before your max-press, and post your results here.

you guys are all nuts. f'ing nuts. if i don't abuse myelf, i can't even get out of bed. or i don't want to. although if a member of the fairer sex helps that usually adds some extra pounds to the workout. although for the last week i have been eating lots of cashews and have been really pumped. i benched 15 lbs more than the week before even though i pulled my trap. although i could have been on weed that week.

Originally posted by baham99 Ever since I was 17 I've been seriously wonderin about the ejaculation - testosterone relationship. I've read all the science, about the increase and decrease in levels prior and after. But in the end, let me offer what 4 years of experimenting has yielded. (Btw, I'm not kidding. I have tried to eliminate as many variables as possible on repeated occasions just so I can isolate the effect.

The Inspiration:

One day, years ago, on a boring afternoon, armed with a new internet connection and an empty house, I liberated myself 4-5 times. Later that evening, in the gym, each side of my body was stronger by roughly 10-15+ lbs. Combined bench went up by over 30 lbs. I had no initially made the connection, until I realized later I could no longer perform close to the same weight. That was an isolated time.

WRONG. In fact, upon each trial, I was *decisively* more fatigued in lifting post-&quot;playin with it&quot;. (By fatigued I mean low lifting intensity, endurance, as well as decreased overall explosive power.)

New Experiment:

If I make absinence the norm, (no ejaculation same day or prior to lifting), and ejaculation the weaker end, then sexual stimulation WITHOUT ejaculation must be a new scenario that needs testing.

Result:

JACKPOT!!!! I guarantee this to anyone right now. Million dollar challenge. If any of you spend half an hour watching very good porn, or engaging in foreplay with your woman (better result than any self-stimulation), your gym results for that day will be phenomenal!!! Whatever you expected to do that day, given the diet and sleep, will increase like you just took a super PH supplement. I kid you know. I warn you, this takes discipline. If you accidently decide to cum, you'll make yourself so tired and weak you'll ruin the gym session.

Conclusion:

The amount of testosterone and other chemicals (adrenaline, etc.) stimulated through sexual arousal are unrivaled for an immediate strength boost. The more aroused you are, for longer the duration, is directly proportional to the curve of increased performance. In math terms, you can express the benefits of strength from the increased testosterone as a function of horniness. (not the general frustrated kind, but maaaajor blue-ball.) If you all think I'm wack and have too much time on my hands (no pun intended x 2), try it for yourselves. If I have the time, this ritual is almost religious. Try it the day before your max-press, and post your results here.

If you're like me, your high school football coach said "Son, I dont want you playin' with IT before game time". My coach always told me that masterbation lowered your testosterone levels. Then the concept seemingly subsided, everyone played it off, then it became a joke. "Hell, what do high school football coaches know? If they were any good, they would be coaching college or in the NFL" was my philosophy. Well for all you guys who have heard this, got some bad news for you......your coach was right:

World J Urol 2001 Nov;19(5):377-82

Endocrine response to masturbation-induced orgasm in healthy men following a 3-week sexual abstinence.

This current study examined the effect of a 3-week period of sexual abstinence on the neuroendocrine response to masturbation-induced orgasm. Hormonal and cardiovascular parameters were examined in ten healthy adult men during sexual arousal and masturbation-induced orgasm. Blood was drawn continuously and cardiovascular parameters were constantly monitored. This procedure was conducted for each participant twice, both before and after a 3-week period of sexual abstinence. Plasma was subsequently analysed for concentrations of adrenaline, noradrenaline, cortisol, prolactin, luteinizing hormone and testosterone concentrations. Orgasm increased blood pressure, heart rate, plasma catecholamines and prolactin. These effects were observed both before and after sexual abstinence. In contrast, although plasma testosterone was unaltered by orgasm, higher testosterone concentrations were observed following the period of abstinence. These data demonstrate that acute abstinence does not change the neuroendocrine response to orgasm but does produce elevated levels of testosterone in males.

I read something different in the study.

By reading the highlighted sentences more carefully, I think that the study is really stating that plasma test levels were unchanged following orgasm in either of the test groups. It also seems to state that although the reaction to orgasm was the same in both groups, the abstinent group had higher plasma test levels overall. This proves that abstinence causes unstated rises in plasma test, but that orgasm also doesn't change levels of test mentionably.

The conclusion is contradictory. If abstinence from orgasm caused a rise in plasma test, than it could be assumed that orgasm is a limiting factor in test levels. Why then would test levels not drop after dicontinuation of abstinence?